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Brit Spags! So Jim fixed it...

Started by Mangrove, October 23, 2012, 08:23:22 PM

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Junkenstein

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22486758

And now Eddy Shah too.

QuoteThe jury in the Eddy Shah rape trial at the Old Bailey has been discharged.

The case, in which Mr Shah, 69, of Chippenham, Wiltshire, denies six counts of raping a girl under 16, opened at the court on Tuesday.

But on Friday Recorder of London Judge Brian Barker told jurors they could not carry on. "We have had problems which we simply cannot overcome," he said.

The case will be relisted on Monday when a new panel of jurors should be selected to retry the case.

Mr Shah, who founded the now-defunct Today newspaper in 1986 and is now an author, and two others are accused of sexually abusing an under-age girl in the early 1990s.

Susan Davies, 53, of Swanley, Kent, denies 14 counts of aiding and abetting rape, indecent assault and child cruelty.

Her former lover Anthony Pallant, 53, of West Malling, Kent, denies six counts of rape and indecent assault.

I met this guy a couple of times and actually worked at one of his later ventures after he abandoned being a press baron.

Didn't particularly like him then, fucker never paid on time or in full. This does not surprise me in the slightest for various reasons. I'd be be amazed if he's not guilty. 
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Mangrove

I think it'll be easier if we just compile a shortlist entitled: "British Celebrities of the 70s & 80s that are NOT sex offenders".

Looks like it might be a very short, shortlist.

What makes it so? Making it so is what makes it so.

Cain


Cain

If you're interested in keeping up with the various child abuse investigations in the UK, you may want to start reading David Hencke and Exaro News:

QuoteOver the last two weeks the Met Police Child Abuse Investigation Command  has been  secretly running a new investigation into alleged child abuse involving former schoolboys who went to primary and secondary  schools run by the Roman Catholic Salesian Order in England and Scotland.

QuoteA virtually  unreported hearing of the Commons defence committee has revealed an extraordinary complacent state of affairs of the Ministry of Defence towards complaints from forces parents of sexual abuse and bullying at private schools.

QuoteA report by my colleague Nick Fielding for Exaro News ( see http://www.exaronews.com/articles/4961/police-abandon-probe-into-cyril-smith-s-sexual-abuse-of-boys ) reveals the former MP linked to child sex abuse cases at the Elm Guest House in Richmond,London to Rochdale where he was an MP is now off the hook.

QuoteThe latest damning disclosure about both the police and Richmond Council's handling of the  child abuse scandal  at Elm Guest House and Grafton Close children's home adds to growing disquiet that both the council and the police were not up to the job.

QuoteOperation Fernbridge – the criminal investigation into a paedophile ring centred round the London borough of Richmond and the shady Elm Guest House – is now turning to the role of Independent Police Complaints Commission over the whole affair.

QuoteThe Met Police  has launched a further investigation into historic child sex abuse – this time focusing on the Roman Catholic Church in England.

I understand from good sources that the Met Police are investigating the role of a Roman Catholic bishop – both involving allegations involving paedophilia and whether he protected Roman Catholic priests who were alleged paedophiles.

Those are just from the front three pages.

Junkenstein

Good issue of Private Eye this week:
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/sections.php?section_link=in_the_back&
QuoteINSIGHT into how prosecutors in the 1970s handled allegations against high-profile individuals of what today would be seen as sexual abuse or paedophile behaviour is revealed in newly released documents relating to a police investigation into the Bishop of Stepney, the internationally renowned anti-apartheid campaigner Trevor Huddleston, in 1974.
A redacted version of the Scotland Yard file was released by the National Archives last month after a freedom of information request by Private Eye last November following the Jimmy Savile scandal and the failure to prosecute former Liberal MP Sir Cyril Smith. The Huddleston file was previously ordered to remain closed until 2069.

QuoteOn Huddleston, Skelhorn decided that "the evidence is not sufficient to warrant proceedings". It later emerged that Skelhorn had consulted not just "leading Treasury counsel" but also Labour attorney-general Sam Silkin, who knew Huddleston, a Labour party hero. In a 1979 BBC radio interview, referring to a case involving a "very well known" man" and "small boys", Silkin stated: "If he had been prosecuted at all it would have ruined his career and influence. Within the DPP's department everyone thought the man would be acquitted – though there was clearly evidence." The Huddleston file does not mention Silkin's involvement.

Silkin told the Daily Mirror, again without naming Huddleston: "If he had been prosecuted – and acquitted – it would still have been disastrous for him. A great deal of mud would have stuck. The decision was made for the public good. We were almost certain that this man would be acquitted."

Semi-Saville and co related, helps to highlight the procedural difficulties in actually prosecuting influential figures. I suspect recent decisions on cases like this in the various prosecutors offices are under close review. Or shredding. Possibly both.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Junkenstein

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23880768

QuoteTV presenter Rolf Harris has been charged with nine counts of indecent assault and four of making indecent images of children, police have said.

Mr Harris was first arrested in March by officers investigating historical allegations of child sexual abuse.

Six offences relate to the indecent assault of a girl aged 15-16 between 1980 and 1981 and three relate to a girl aged 14 in 1986.

The indecent images of children were alleged to have been made last year.

So, that's some jail then.

Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Cain

From Exaro News:

QuoteDetectives are investigating the sadistic killing of a young boy as they examine allegations of a paedophile ring linked to politicians and other VIPs.

Exaro can reveal how police operations that are looking at historical claims of child sex abuse by political figures has turned into a murder investigation.

One of those linked to the investigations is Sidney Cooke, a "procurer" of children for sex abuse parties with a history of murder, and who has also spent enough time in Amsterdam that the Dutch police would like to speak with him.

Not clear if he spent any time in Belgium, but I'd really like to know one way or another.

Junkenstein

A belgium connection from any quarter would be very interesting indeed.

Dave Lee Travis in the dock:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/14/dave-lee-travis-trial-fame-target-vulnerable-young-women


QuoteAnother incident took place in Travis's dressing room as he appeared in a pantomime in Crawley in 1991, the court heard, when the DJ pinned a women up against the door before shoving his hand down her jogging bottoms.

The assault lasted a matter of seconds, the jury was told, before Travis was interrupted by one of the Chuckle Brothers walking past his dressing room.

Who would ever have thought about the Chuckle Brothers as saviours?
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Cain

As weird as those two actually are, I'm surprised to find that I am struggling to see them as sex offenders.  Given their whole act, I'd normally put them near the top of the list for futher aiding police enquiries, but I'm having trouble seeing it.

The Express has an article up today.  Sorting the verifiable facts from the unverifiable facts from the wild, rampaging tabloid gossip mixed with unadulterated bullshit is a fun exercise:

QuoteA FORMER female MP was involved in a paedophile network at the heart of government, police have been told.

She is alleged to have forced a boy in care to perform a "vile" sex act at one of a series of drug-fuelled parties in Westminster in the Eighties where boys and girls as young as 13 were allegedly abused.

Last night her alleged victim told the Sunday Express: "I want justice."

Andrew Ash, now 45, said he has given Scotland Yard the name of the former MP. We cannot name her for legal reasons.

Mr Ash claims he was frequently ferried down to London from the North of England, where he was in care, to take part in sex parties.

He says they were organised by a paedophile ring involving David Smith, Jimmy Savile's former chauffeur who killed himself last year before he was due to stand trial for sex offences.

He said: "It wasn't just politicians, there were also a number of celebrities, including Jimmy Savile, who seemed to have a lot of good links to MPs and powerful businessmen.

...

Mr Ash claims officers have footage which shows a senior male MP in the same frame as him, although no abuse takes place on camera. He said he is speaking out now because he is frustrated by the lack of action after being interviewed for 70 hours by the Met Police's Paedophile Unit.

He says he was abused by the male MP on another occasion too. He said: "I remember being filmed with this MP, who was abusing me in a garage of a very prominent building behind a Rolls-Royce.

"Another politician turned up with a video camera but the man abusing me just smirked and joked, 'OK, OK, I'll vote any way you want' as if he was being blackmailed. What I want to know is why they haven't arrested him yet if they have this evidence.

Elements of this align with what is being reported in more respectable publications, like the Times and Exaro...but of course, that's the thing.  If some of the information is already in the public domain, anyone could just make up some extra bits and tack them on.

Junkenstein

Quote"Another politician turned up with a video camera but the man abusing me just smirked and joked, 'OK, OK, I'll vote any way you want' as if he was being blackmailed. What I want to know is why they haven't arrested him yet if they have this evidence.

"Evidence" in this case to mean his testimony, not actual physical evidence of guilt.

Quotenterviews were conducted mainly at a safe house in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, but also in London. "The interviews were usually carried out in blocks of three, normally every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

"On at least two occasions there were two other officers present that I didn't recognise. They didn't ask me a thing, they just scribbled notes.

"I asked who they were but all I was told was that they were from 'upstairs'. It was clear from the tone that they were intelligence officers.

"They had obviously been made aware of the high-profile names and the sensitive information I had given police."

Dutch intelligence officers attended at least one interview because Andrew told of being trafficked to Amsterdam on a number of occasions to be abused by a group of paedophiles including convicted child killer Sidney Cooke.

Plausible? Certainly. I'm a little surprised about how restrained the piece is. I can only infer from that the the Ex-MP's are probably right-leaning. I'm reasonably confident that if it'd had been an ex-labour MP there would have been additional details to make it easier to figure out who we're talking about.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Junkenstein

Bill Roach and Michael Le Vell acquitted.

However:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26073155

Quotehe former headmaster of a school attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been jailed for eight years for sexually abusing five pupils.

Roland Peter Wright, 83, of Farnham Royal, Buckinghamshire, abused boys aged between eight and 13 at Caldicott Preparatory School from 1959 to 1970.

His sentencing went ahead despite the death of another former teacher who had been due to appear with him.

Hugh Henry, 82, apparently threw himself under a train on Tuesday.

The end is still far from visible.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Cain

Bump

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/10674757/Cameron-aide-Patrick-Rock-arrested-over-allegations-relating-to-child-porn.html

QuoteOne of David Cameron's closest aides has been arrested on suspicion of offences relating to child pornography.

Patrick Rock, who was one of the government's advisors on policy for online pornography filters, was arrested last month after police examined computers in No 10 Downing Street.

Mr Rock resigned as a policy advisor to the Prime Minister soon afterwards.

No 10 said he was arrested last month "a few hours" after Downing Street contacted police.

The former deputy head of the No 10 Policy Unit has been close to Mr Cameron for two decades. The two men worked for Michael Howard when he was Home Secretary in the 1990s.

Junkenstein

Oh wow. Adds another uncomfortable level of accuracy to David Icke. He must be going absolutely berserk about now.

Pretty much killed a future political career of Cameron too. Shame.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

Cain

http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5225/customs-seized-video-of-child-sex-abuse-and-ex-cabinet-minister
http://www.exaronews.com/articles/5226/man-who-tried-to-import-video-i-did-not-know-what-was-inside

QuoteCustoms officials are trying to silence an ex-colleague who seized video that allegedly shows child sex abuse in the presence of a former cabinet minister.

Exaro can reveal that the politically explosive video was seized by a Customs officer, Magianal Solanki, at Dover's Eastern Car Terminal in 1982.

The video was coming into the UK from - where else - Amsterdam.  The video tape itself was passed by Customs onto MI5, and shows a former Conservative Cabinet minister.  However, Solanki, who has seen the video, has refused to go on the record about the exact nature of what the minister was doing in the video, due to the sensitive nature of the tape, and is furthermore legally gagged by the Official Secrets Act.

Exaro has confirmed this Minister is the same one which the Met are currently investigating under the auspices of Operation Fernbridge.  They refuse to name the Minister in order to not jepordize ongoing police investigations (though one wonders why the calls for the Met to be disbanded, once a fringe suggestion, have suddenly gained currency in the national press).

A Mr Russell Tricker was responsible for bringing the video into the UK.  He claims he had no knowledge of what was on it, and was released by Customs without charge.  Mr Tricker ran a travel service and apartments which featured in holiday and gay guides for Holland. Tricker claims he was asked to bring the videos into the UK by a "business colleague". 

Tricker himself was for child sex offences, but his lawyers were able to show the boy in question had ID which showed him to be of legal age, and that he pretended to be of this age.  The boy in question was later killed in a shooting.  In addition to this, Tricker was a person friend of Peter Glencross, the founder of Spartacus International, an underground pedophile network, and of the notorious Warwick Spinks - a child abuser, killer and procurer of children for others.

One video was titled "GB10", and apparently showed videos of boys from Britain, for sale to pedophile clients.  Another video showed children from other parts of Europe.

Junkenstein

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26922887

Celebrities kept out of tabloids by Max Clifford come to his defence.

QuoteBirds Of A Feather star Pauline Quirke, who is also a witness for the defence, said she had known Mr Clifford for 20 years and that they were vice-patrons of the same charity, the Rhys Daniels Trust.

She said they were friends and described him as a "good, decent man... down to earth, very normal".

"The word I've always associated with Max, since I've known him, is the word 'integrity'," she told jurors.

Really? Max Clifford? Integrity? Well if your definition of the word involves trading in sleazy non-stories regarding C-Z list celebrities, then the man has integrity in spades.

Out of the whole Savile affair, I'll consider the world a better place with Clifford in a  prison cell. If nothing else it'll raise the overall standard of journalism in the UK considerably.
Nine naked Men just walking down the road will cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.